A prize of $1,000 is given biannually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of 1,001 to 7,500 words with a $15 entry fee by May 2. All...
read moreWriting Contests, Grants & Awards
The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.
Writer’s Digest
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 5/5/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $5,000, an interview in Writer’s Digest, and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference is given annually for a single poem, a short...
read moreCrook’s Corner Book Prize Foundation
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $35
Application Deadline: 5/15/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a debut novel primarily set in the American South. Authors living anywhere are eligible. Self-published books are accepted, but books...
read morePloughshares
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 5/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Ploughshares are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Each winner also receives a...
read moreLeeway Foundation
Cash Prize: $15,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 5/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Awards of $15,000 each are given annually to women, transgender, and/or gender-nonconforming poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers in the Philadelphia area...
read moreNew Letters
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $24
Application Deadline: 5/19/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $2,500 each and publication in New Letters are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using only the online submission system, submit up...
read moreGreat Lakes Colleges Association
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 5/25/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes are given annually for first books by a poet, a fiction writer, and a creative nonfiction writer. The winners each receive an all-expenses-paid trip to several of...
read moreLivingston Press
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 5/30/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Cross-Genre
A prize of $500, publication by Livingston Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a novel-in-verse. Eleanor Boudreau will judge. Submit a manuscript of 90 to 160...
read moreBridport Arts Centre
Cash Prize: $6,482
Entry Fee: $14
Application Deadline: 5/31/25
Two prizes of £5,000 (approximately $6,482) each and publication in the Bridport Prize anthology are given annually for a poem and a short story. A second-place prize of £1,000...
read moreBridge Book Award
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 5/31/25
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two prizes of up to $5,000 each will be given annually for a book of fiction and a book of creative nonfiction by U.S. citizens or permanent residents published in the previous...
read moreUniversity of Georgia Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 5/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Georgia Press is given annually for a collection of short fiction. Lori Ostlund will judge. Using only the online submission...
read moreSixfold
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $5
Application Deadline: 5/31/25
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Sixfold are given quarterly for a group of poems and a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit up to...
read moreJohn D. Voelker Foundation
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 5/31/25
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $2,500 and publication in American Fly Fisher as well as on the John D. Voelker Foundation and the American Museum of Fly Fishing websites is given annually...
read moreBOA Editions
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 5/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by BOA Editions is given annually for a story collection. Peter Conners will judge. Submit a manuscript of 100 to 200 pages with a $30 entry...
read moreSalamander
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 6/1/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Salamander is given annually for a short story. Helen Phillips will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a story...
read moreBard College
Cash Prize: $30,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 6/1/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $30,000 and a one-semester appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College is given annually to a fiction writer under the age of 40. The winner must give at...
read moreAmerican Short Fiction
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 6/1/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $2,500 and publication in American Short Fiction is given annually for a short story. The winner also receives a weeklong, all-expenses-paid writing retreat...
read morePEN America
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 6/1/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two grants of $5,000 each are given annually for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction works-in-progress “by immigrant and refugee writers, recognizing that the literature of...
read morePEN America
Cash Prize: $4,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 6/1/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Translation
Ten grants of $4,000 each are given annually to support the translation of book-length works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction that have not previously appeared in...
read moreNational Book Foundation
Cash Prize: $10,000
Entry Fee: $135
Application Deadline: 6/6/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $10,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and young people’s literature written by U.S. writers and published in the United...
read moreTowson University
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 6/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction by a current resident of Maryland who has lived in the state for at least three years...
read moreTusculum Review
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 6/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,500 and publication in Tusculum Review is given annually for a collection of poems, a short story, or an essay in alternating years. The winner’s work is...
read moreArtist Trust
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 6/23/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Grants of $1,500 each are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who are residents of Washington State. Students enrolled in a degree-granting program...
read moreUniversity of Pittsburgh Press
Cash Prize: $15,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 6/30/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $15,000 and publication by University of Pittsburgh Press is given annually for a collection of short fiction. Writers who have published at least one previous book...
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